15 Days Left To Stop North Carolina’s Gay Marriage Ban

North Carolina has the dishonorabledistinction of becoming the first state to put an anti-gay marriage amendment on a 2012 ballot.

On May 8, voters in the state will weigh in on the North Carolina’s Amendment 1, which states that “marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State.” This strict language not only eliminates the possibility of marriage, civil unions or domestic partnerships for lesbian and gay couples, but also significantly limits the rights of all unmarried couples.

We in North Carolina’s LGBT activist community feel we have a strong chance at defeating Amendment 1. Our country is reaching a tipping point around same-gender marriage. In the last year alone, we’ve hit several key milestones. Some highlights:

May 2011: A Gallup poll showed that the majority of Americans support same-gender marriage.

If you live in North Carolina, get out and vote against this amendment on May 8, or better yet, vote early (anytime from now until May 5). Find your county’s early voting locations here.

If you don’t live in North Carolina, contact any friends or family members in North Carolina who are likely to be against the amendment and make sure they vote! No need to change minds here; we just need to get our allies out to vote! For talking points, go here.

Wherever you live, call to help get out the vote by joining a virtual phone bank. Sign up for training here.

Donate to the Coalition to Protect NC Families. Every dollar will be matched up to $100,000 by a generous couple and used to buy a television ad to get the message out about the harms of Amendment 1.

Comments

Why are we wasting time and money on this non-issue? Just make all marriages civil since you already have to get a license through the government. You can then go and have a second religious ceremony if you wish. That finishes all this religious homophobia.

GET OUT THE VOTE! It may be the Bible Belt, and sadly, the amendment may end up passing, but the more of you who vote against the amendment, the narrower the gap will be in the final tally. Voting against the amendment is a way to make yourselves VISIBLE as supporters of LGBT equality!

Ultimately, of course, I think it’s going to take a Supreme Court decision that marriage discrimination is unconstitutional. Meanwhile, take the steps that are before you today.